The present invention relates to a container or packaging for a plurality of relatively-small separate items, such as tablets, doses of medicine, or the like, and more particularly, the present invention relates to a compact package including a hollow protective outer sleeve or case housing one or more separate blister cards or the like and providing child-resistant, senior-friendly dispensing properties.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,581,642 B2 issued to Knutson et al., 7,617,935 B2 issued to Reilley et al. and 7,806,270 B2 issued to Seibert et al. and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0300923 A1 of Sack et al. are assigned to Anderson Packaging, Inc., the assignee of the present application, and disclose examples of packages including a molded plastic sleeve or case and a blister card combination that provides child-resistant, senior-friendly dispensing properties. Further examples of packages are disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 7,591,372 B2 issued to Gelardi et al. and 7,588,149 B2 of Gelardi and U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2009/0045078 A1 of Gelardi et al. and 2008/0251410 A1 and 2008/0283434 A1 of Gelardi.
Although the packages disclosed by the above reference patents and published applications are suitable for their intended purposes, there is a need for alternate designs of such packages that are of novel construction and that are difficult for a young child to open (i.e. receive a so-called “F=1” child resistant rating), yet can readily be opened and closed by an intended end-user, such as a senior citizen. Preferably, the package includes a molded plastic container body, case or sleeve for storing a blister card, tray or the like on which numerous items, such as tablets, doses of medicine, or the like, are individually secured in blister compartments. The blister card should be able to be slid between a retracted position in which the items are protected and housed within the package and a dispensing position in which the blister card at least partially extends in an exposed condition from the package.